Pool-billiard table.



Pawn-ted 1an. 2|, |902..-

W.. L. DETHLOFF.

PUL BILLIRD TABLE. (Application led Apr. 20, 1901.) (No Model.)

UNITED STATES FFICE.

VILLIAM L. DE'IIHLOFF, OF MILVAUKEE, VlSCONSlN.

POOL-BILLIARD TABLE.

DPECIFICAZIION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 691,452, dated January 21, 1902 Application iilcd April 20, 1901.

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. DnTHnonn, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Vtisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pool- Billiard Tables, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in pool-billiard tables or those billiard-tables that are provided with pockets for receiving the billiard-balls.

The object of the invention is to provide a construction that can be readily put together and taken down and that is especially strong and enduring as against the strain and shock which it has to lundergo as a pool-billiard table, and the parts of which are of such material and so put together as to provide desirable contact and support for the balls employed therewith.

The invention consists of the billiard-table, its parts, and combinations of parts, as herein described and claimed, or the equivalents thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan View of a fragment of a billiard-table, showing my improvements therein. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the fragment of a billiard-table shown in Fig. 1 on line 2 2 thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the fragment of the billiard-table shown in Fig. 1,'parts being omitted to better disclose the construction of the parts shown. Fig. 4 is a View exteriorly of the corner of the table, parts being omitted for better illustration of the parts shown. Fig. 5 is a detail of the construction. Fig. 6 is a detail of apart shown in combination in Fig. 5.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the frame of the billiard-table, which is commonly constructed of wood and on which is placed a slate or stone 2, which forms the bed of the table centrally. A top marginal rail 3 is secured to the-frame entirely around the table, the rail being located in a plane a little above the top surface of the bed of the table. At the corners of the table and usually midway of the length of the table the frame is cut away, leaving an opening or passage for the Serial N0- 56,671. (No model.)

balls to drop into a pocket 4, secured to the table about and depending therefrom.

Heretofore in pool-tables the top marginal rail has been cut entirely away at the rear of the pocket and a curved bracket or analogous member constructed of metal has been employed, which bracket was secured to lthe rail or to the table and formed a rear wall to the upper end of the pocket and practically a continuation of the marginal rail around the pocket, on which bracket the pocket was suspended and against which the balls were driven when sent across the table to a pocket therein. In my improved construction the wood rail 3 is continued past the pockets and around the corners of the table, thus making a strong and desirable frame and a suitable backing or stop-piece, against which the balls are driven when sent across the table to the pockets. It will be readily'understood that the wood rail 3, passing around' the pockets and forming backs therefor to be contacted by the balls on the table, is a stronger and more enduring member, less likely to break under the shock of the contact of the ball than a metal member is of the form heretofore in use. The rail 3 at each pocket is cut away in substantially a semicircular form, as shown at 5 5 in connection with eacll pocket, and thus forms a curved contact member or stop for the balls at and above the pocket. In front of this curved contact portion of the rail the bed of the table is cut away in a complementary semicircular form, so as to provideapocket-aperture of substantially circular form for the passage downwardly of the balls.

The pocket 4: may, as ordinarily, be constructed of silk threads of open network, the upper meshes of which net or pocket maybe directly secured to the framel at the front or inner side thereof by being nailed or tacked thereto, and at the rear or outer side of the net its upper edge is conveniently attached to the rail 3 by means of a supporting member 6, advisably of metal in curved or bent form, secured in place close to the under surface of the rail 3 by a screw 7 through the supporting member medially into the rail 3, and by fastening members 8, also of metal, secured by screws to the frame 1 and to the rail 3. The

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member 6 is located back of and away from the pocket-aperture, so as to be guarded at the pocket edge by the inwardly-projecting rail, so that the metal member cannot be struck by a ball, the balls being capable only of contact laterally against the wood of the rails. Between the pockets a rubber cushion 9 is secured to the front edge of the rail 3, and this cushion is covered by felt cloth 10 in such form as is common in billiard-tables. At the pockets this rubber cushion is cut away and omitted, and the rear Wall of the pocket formed by the frontcut-away curved edge of the rail 3 is cushioned bya iiat rubberstrip 11, secured to the edge of the rail entirely along the curved cut-awayportion about the pocket and depending somewhat belour the rail, ad- Visably toa plane substantially flush with the surface of the table. A lining 12, advisably of morocco-leather or analogous material, is provided,which lining along one edge is placed from above down between the rubber strip 1l and the rail 3 along the entire curved or cut-away portion of the rail, and the rubber strip and the lining 12 are secured to the rail conveniently by little nails or tacks driven through the rubber strip and the lining into the rail. The lining member 12 is then turned over the edge of the rubber strip and extends downwardly in front of the rubber strip and to some distance downwardly beyond the strip into the pocket. Around the front wall of the pocket formed by the curved cut-away portion of the bed or frame of the table a similar lining 13 is provided, which consists, advisably, of morocco-leather, like that ernployed for the lining 12, and this lining 13 is irst placed over the pocket or netting 4 against the curved cut-away edge of the bed of the table and is then secured thereto by little nails or tacks driven through the lining and the netting or pocket into the Wood frame, and the lining is then turned downwardly along the line ot' the surface of the table and covers the inner or front wall of the pocket around to the lining 12, the two sections of lining 12 and 13 forming a complete lining in and about the entire pocketaperture.

14 indicates au ornamental fringe, also secured to the supporting member G and depending therefrom around the exterior and otherwise exposed rear upper part of the pocket 4.

The bed of the table is covered with felt cloth 15.

1. In combination in a billiard-table, a frame, a bed, a marginal wood rail cut away to form a pocket-opening, a network pocket, a pocket-supporter consisting of a metal bent member below the rail and away from the pocket and guarded by the rail projecting inwardly over it,and means securing the pocket supporter to the frame.

2. In combination in a billiard table,' a frame, a bed, a marginal wood rail cut away to form a pocket-opening, a network pocket, a pocket-supporter consisting of a metal bent member below the rail and away from the pocket and guarded by the rail projecting iu- Wardly over it, and holding members secu red to the frame and holding the pocket-supporting member.

3. In a billiard-table, a wood marginal rail cut away in curved form in its inner edge to form a poeketaperture, a llat rubber strip secured to said curved edge forming a ballcushion, and a leather lining inserted and secured in place between said rubber strip and said rail and turned over and covering the front of said rubber strip.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. DETl-ILOFF.

Witnesses:

C. T. BENEDICT, ANNA V. FAUST. 

